3 Tips To Get Better Sleep That You Haven’t Tried Yet

You’ve tried all the sleep tips out there. Your room is dark, you go to bed at the same time.. but these sleep remedies for adults just aren’t working. Here are 3 science backed ways on how to get better sleep.

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I put down my book and tried to close my eyes. It was 11:30PM, my husband dozed beside me.

I thought I could stop thinking about it as soon as I turned the last page.

Nope. With my adrenaline spiked, I couldn’t fall asleep.

No hope whatsoever.

What to do but stare at the ceiling?

How many nights have you been in this scenario?

In the midst of my stomach issues last year, I used to lie awake and scroll through Google search queries trying to prove to myself that I didn’t have cancer.

(That’s on one side of crazy)

But then there are the moments that I think of all the drafts I have to write and the plans I need to make for this week’s Girl Scout meeting that sleep becomes a state I can’t qite seem to achieve. And yet, I lay there, close my eyes…

For instance, if you are spending 7 hours in bed under your fluffy comforter but 2 hours of it are spent simply lying there staring at your ceiling, you restrict yourself to only 5 hours in bed.

Many studies have shown that sleep becomes better as a result of deprivation. According to a research study, “subjects fall asleep faster, sleep more deeply, have fewer awakenings and easily maintain sleep until a wakeup call.” when they are deprived of sleep.

Sleep restriction therapy takes advantage of the benefits of sleep deprivation while dealing with daytime sleepiness as a temporary side effect.

As you find you’re sleeping better, you gradually increase the amount of time you spend in bed.

Meditate

I used to have a hard time sitting in silence.

My brain wanted to think, deliberate and worry about why my stomach was growling or contemplate buying a box of Samoas stashed in my garage.

Meditation is all about quieting the mind and stopping all those racing thoughts.

However – oh man – it takes a ton of practice.

I’m using an app on my phone called Headspace to improve my meditating skills – and yes, they can be called skills.

Andy, a former Buddhist monk with an Aussie accent, guides me through a 10-minute meditation each day. It’s punctuated with fun little animations explaining meditation principles as well as digital rewards for meditating for so many days in a row.

After doing it for over a month, I notice that when I get upset with my kids or overwhelmed, I’m repeating to myself “there’s always blue sky” or “these worries are like cars passing by”.

Totally works to calm the mind. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

By using techniques such as sleep restriction, meditation and setting an intentional planning time, you can quiet your mind and sleep easier.

Stopping your mind from thinking and worrying takes a ton of practice – I won’t lie – and you may feel like you’ll never gain control.

But the better you sleep, I swear, the better you feel. It’s a goal worth striving for and worth putting time and money in.